Counting apparatus.



N0. 785,989. PATENTED MAR. 28, 1905.

W. P, WATTS.

COUNTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR, 26, 1904.

2 SHEBTS-SHEET 1.

" lNVENTOF? f Mafia WA TTOHNE Y PATENTBD MAR. 28, 1905.

W. P. WATTS.

COUNTING APPARATUS.

APPMOATION FILED MAR. 26, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

, W/TNESSES:

Patented March 28, 1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT EEIcE.

WALTER P. IVATTS, OF COVINA, CALIFORNIA.

COUNTING APPARATUSn SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.785,989, dated March 28, 1905.

Application filed March 26, 1904. Serial No. 200,132.

To rtZZ whom it nuty concern:

Be itknown that LVVALTERRVVAT'rs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Covina, in the county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCounting Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to counting devices, and particularly to a devicefor ascertaining the number of articles handled; and some of the objectsof the invention are to provide a device of this general character whichwill be simple and cheap in construction and at the same time efficientfor the purpose intended.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device capable ofdiversified uses.

WVith these and other objects in view the invention consists,essentially, in the construction, combination, and arrangement of partssubstantially as more fully described in the following specification andas illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisapplication, in which Figure 1 is a rear elevational view of one form ofthis invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the same. Fig. 3is a partially-enlarged view of the invention, showing the parts removedand broken away, illustrating one application or use of the invention;and Fig. t is a side elevational view of the construction beforeillustrated.

Similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views.

Referring to the drawings, the reference character 1 designates a frame,which may be of any size, construction, or configuration, but is hereshown as circular, and is constructed to receive a sheet of transparentmaterial 2, beneath which is secured a dial or indicator-card 3, whereonare delineated gradnations or divisions suitable for the particular useto which the invention may be put. In

this illustration of an application of this invention the dial is shownas divided into an outer rim or portion 4, whereon are delineatedgraduations from 1 to A8, while on the inner or central portion 5 of thedial are delineated graduations from 1 to 12. However, the graduationshere shown and described are only typical, and the invention is in nomanner limited thereto.

Formed on or connected with the frame 1 is a casing 6, of any preferredform and construction, adapted to preferably receive a clock mechanism?of the usual construction provided with an escapement 8, one claw ofwhich is normally retracted by a spring or other device 9 and which isconstructed to engage with the teeth on an escapernentwheel 10, Fig. 3,and formed on or connected with the escapement 8 is an armature 11,adapted to be attracted by an electromagnet 12 whenever the same isenergized through the extremities 13 of the winding thereof, whichextremities may be connected with binding-posts let, formed on orconnected with the casing 6 in the usual manner.

This invention will now be described when it is used for counting orcomputing the number of oranges handled, as in a packing-house, althoughthe invention is not limited to this use.

Referring to Fig. 3 of the drawings, there is illustrated a portion ofatrough or runway 15, constructed to receive or into which is introducedoranges, (designated as 16,) which are constructed to pass over anddepress a rod or platform 17, connected with the intermediate portion ofa circuit-closing or contact plate 18, whereby when the weight of theorange depresses the plate or red 17 the contact-plate 18 will be forcedupon or against a c0ntact-post 15), connected by a wire 20 with the post1st and which is in turn connected with the extremity 13 of the wrappingof the magnet 12, the other extremity 13 being attached to the oppositepost 1%, and the latter is in turn connected by a wire 21 with a batteryor other source of electric energy 22, while the battery is finallyconnected with a binding-post 23, attached to the contact-plate 18, aswill be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which thisinvention appertains.

The operation of this invention will be readily understood from theforegoing description when taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings and the following explanation thereof.

The hands or indicators A and B being in proper position for thestarting of the device, the oranges are introduced into the trough orrunway 15, which is preferably inclined to cause the same to traveltherethrough and to contact with in such travel and depress the rod orplatform 17, thereby forcing the same into the position shown in dottedlines in Fig. 3 and drawing the contact-plate or circuitcloser 18against the contact-post 19, thereby completing the electrical circuitand energizing the electromagnet 12, which in turn attracts the armature11 and oscillates the escapement 8 against the action of the spring 9,permitting the escapelnent-wheel 10 to revolve the distance of onetooth, whereupon as soon as the orange shall have passed over theactuating rod or platform 17 the latter will spring back into theposition shown in full lines in Fig. 3 and release the contact-plate orcircuit-closer 18, thereby breaking the elec- It is not desired to limitor confine this invention to the specific construction, combination, andarrangement of parts herein shown and described, and the right isreserved to make all such changes in and modifications of the same ascome within the spirit and scope of the invention.

A counting apparatus provided with a run way, electric terminals securedupon the exterior thereof having connection with the source of supply, acircuit-closing plate secured to one of said terminals, a resilient rodextending through said runway and plate, whereby the weight of anarticle in said runway will bend said rod and draw said plate againstthe other terminal, an indicating mechanism and means operated by theclosing of said circuit to actuate said mechanism.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two sub scribing witnesses, at Los Angeles, county of LosAngeles, State of California, this lOth d ay of March, 1904:.

trical circuit and deenergizing the electromagj net 12, which releasesthe armature 11 and permits the spring 9 to draw the escapement i 8 backinto the normal. position, but allowing 1 the passage of another tooththerebelow.

l/Vitnesses:

CHARLns S. Roeuns, MIGNoN FORD.

